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Top Hiking Spots in New Zealand

Posted onJune 15, 2015byJack Kent

Hiking in New Zealand can be more than just a physical activity. It is also an effective therapy and the perfect way to soothe your soul as you let go of your worries, thanks to the beautiful sceneries the country has to offer. There are so many wonderful hiking tracks to choose from that it can be quite difficult to settle with one.

The Abel Tasman Coastal Track

This track may take three to five days to complete. After covering 52km of walking, you will find some awe-inspiring sandy beaches, sheltered coves, untouched bush, and rocky headlands. Just make sure to be physically fit to continue walking for days before you reach the finish line of this track. It is even the least strenuous track to cover among the country’s Great Walks, but with the same reward in the form of natural beauty. Time your crossings with the low-tide so prepare early. This way, you can focus the rest of the day on rare animal encounters.

Hollyford Track

This is found in the Hollyford Valley, where the rainforest kisses the glacial waters. It is one of the two areas in the world with such a set-up.

The guided option for this walk is designed for a group of at most 16 people. The group can spend the night at a private lodge.

Day one can cover 17km, day two can be spent walking 14km, and day three for around 9km. The walk is made easy with the help of marked trails and the use of swinging bridges hanging over river waters.

Hikers can cross over the pristine lake by taking a jet boat. They can also get out of the valley by helicopter. The plane ride will also give you a an aerial view of the Milford Sound.

Tongariro Crossing

This is a one-day walk that makes it great for first-time hikers. However, it requires walking at a high altitude and across a volcanic terrain that will show you the beauty of an active crater, the path where lava flows, cold mountain springs, and crater lakes shining brightly in all their emerald beauty. Before conquering the Tongariro Crossing, make sure you are fit and excited about the hike.

Hiking through Tongariro Crossing will likely be a dream come true for Lord of the Rings fans as this place served as the movie’s Mount Doom. If you want a safe trek, you can hire a guide and even gain historical insight into the place.

Milford Track

Since this is New Zealand’s most famous track, prepare yourself to hike with a huge crowd. A guided tour will show you the fjordlands, where the valleys and mountains meet, with the amazing beauty of nature presented in the form of waterfalls, gorges, and deep water lakes.

On the third day, you will climb up the zig zag track of the Mackinson Pass. This is the most physically demanding part of the trek, but it is also the most rewarding when you look at the scene in front of you. The fiordland trek usually takes three days and four nights of camping, with seven hours of walking each day.

Queen Charlotte Track

This trek covers 71k and takes you through bays, inlets, and green waters. You can start the trek without a guide, although first-time trekkers might feel safer with a guide. Accommodation is offered by B&Bs, luxury lodges, homestays, camp sites, and motels all throughout the Marlborough Sounds.

Aside from hiking, trekkers can also take a break to swim and kayak, rent a yacht, cruiser, or speed boat, or tour around some vineyards in the sounds.

Have these spots mapped out in your campervan trip. You can just park your campervan in any of the holiday parks close to these spots and just go back to that spot after your walk. This is the beauty of camping and trekking in New Zealand.

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About Jack Kent

Jack Kent loves the outdoors and nothing is more enjoyable than driving his Britz campervan around the North and South islands of New Zealand. When Jack isn't driving his motorhome around, he is drinking beers with his mates, mountain biking through country New Zealand and blogging about what New Zealand has to offer.